Cold Day

What Is Cold Day?

Every January 9th is "Cold Day" (風邪の日, Kaze no Hi) in Japan. On January 9, 1795, the legendary yokozuna (grand champion sumo wrestler) Tanigaze Kajinosauke (谷風梶之助, 1750-1795) — who had been considered virtually invincible throughout his career — died suddenly of influenza (流行風邪, hayarigaze, literally "trending cold"). His death from the very illness that most people recovered from demonstrated influenza's capacity to kill even the strongest individuals and created the phrase "Tanigaze mo kaze de shinda" (谷風も風邪で死んだ, "Even Tanigaze died of a cold") as a proverb about the unpredictability of illness.

Tanigaze Kajinosauke: The Invincible Wrestler

Tanigaze Kajinosauke was one of the greatest yokozuna in the history of sumo wrestling — so dominant that his record of consecutive victories (63 bouts undefeated) stood for over a century. His combination of immense strength, technical skill, and psychological dominance over opponents made him seem untouchable — which made his sudden death from influenza in January 1795 all the more shocking. The public shock at seeing the strongest man in Japan felled by a common illness made his death a memorable cultural reference point for influenza's danger.

Influenza in Japanese History

Influenza epidemics have periodically devastated Japanese populations throughout recorded history. The 1918-1920 "Spanish flu" pandemic killed an estimated 390,000 Japanese — the largest single epidemic death toll in modern Japanese history. January 9th (Cold Day) serves as an occasion to promote influenza prevention — vaccination, hand washing, mask wearing, and avoidance of crowded spaces during flu season — practices that Japan has developed to a high standard of cultural acceptance.

Fun Facts

• Mask culture: Japan's widespread use of face masks for illness prevention — particularly during cold and flu season — predates the COVID-19 pandemic by decades. The practice reflects both practical considerations (protecting others from one's own illness) and cultural norms around illness expression and workplace attendance.
• Sumo and health: Despite their imposing physical presence, sumo wrestlers face significant health challenges related to their extreme weight — life expectancy for retired sumo wrestlers is notably shorter than the general Japanese average, reflecting the long-term health costs of the diet and training regimen required for competitive sumo.